Míceál O'Rourke

While internationally regarded as the leading interpreter of Dublin-born composer, John Field (1782 - 1837), leading Irish pianist Míceál O'Rourke is equally at home with the music of Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin among others.

O'Rourke graduated from University College, Dublin and pursued his musical studies in Antwerp and Paris, where he now lives. He studied piano under Marcel Ciampi, a pupil of Debussy

In 1976, he gave his first public recital in France, playing an all-Chopin programme to great acclaim. This led to his career as a highly respected performer internationally. Miceál O'Rourke has performed at major venues such as Boston Symphony Hall, Washington Kennedy Centre, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Moscow Conservatory Great Hall, Saint Petersburg Philharmonia, Salle Pleyel in Paris and the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Most recent performances with orchestra include concertos by Ravel and Mozart with Saint Petersburg Philharmonic, concertos by Field with Moscow Symphony and Rachmaninov's third concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin. O'Rourke has regularly appeared with French orchestras playing concertos by Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Field, and Shostakovich. His televised recordings of Chopin's complete nocturnes have been screened throughout Europe, Australia and in the United States. Recent tours have taken him to Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as to Ireland, France, Turkey and USA. O'Rourke has increased the availability of John Field's works considerably through his recordings of all the piano concerti, sonatas, and nocturnes

In 1994, O'Rourke was awarded the prestigious Chopin Medal by the Warsaw Frederic Chopin Society in recognition of his "outstanding Chopin playing" - the first and only pianist to be so honoured. In the opinion of many, Míceál O'Rourke is the finest living Irish pianist.

Recordings

• Chopin - Four ballades, Grandes polonaise brillante, Polonaise-fantasie (1995)
  
  Debussy - Preludes and Estampes (1992)
  
• Field - 4 Sonatas (1992)
  
• Field - 16 Piano Pieces (1994)
  
• Field - Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 (1995)
  
• Field - Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 5 (1996)
  
• Field - Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 6 (1996)
  
• Field - Piano Concerto No. 7, Divertissement Nos. 1 & 2, Rondeau, Nocturne No.16, Quintetto (1997)
  
• Field - The Complete Nocturnes (1992)
  
• Pinto - Piano Music (2000)
  
• Schumann - Kreisleriana and Carnaval (1995)

Tickets telephone 045 433613

John Field (1782 - 1837) Sonata no.1 in E flat, Opus 1 no. 1

1. Allegro moderato
   
2. Rondo - allegretto
   
3. Nocturne no.1, in E flat
   
   

   Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)  Sonata in D minor, Opus 31 no.2 "The Tempest"

   i. Largo - allegro
   ii. Adagio
   iii. Allegretto
   
   
4. Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849) 
   
   Four Ballades
   
   
5. Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918)
   
   3 Préludes
   
   i - la fille aux cheveux de lin
   ii - les sons et les harmonies tournent dans l'air du soir
   iii - ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest
   
   Interval
   

   No.1 in G minor, Opus 23
   No.2 in F, Opus 38
   No.3 in A flat, Opus 47
   No.4 in F minor, Opus 52